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Lightning Strikes

Thursday lightning could mean new fires around Kamloops this weekend

Jun 14, 2019 | 11:53 AM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops-area residents are being asked to be on the lookout for holdover lightning-caused fires after several lightning cells tore through the region Thursday.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Bobby Sekhon says there were more than 24,000 strikes recorded across the province, including 192 within a 50-kilometre radius of Kamloops.

Sekhon says much of that lightning was not accompanied by precipitation.

“There was some rain in other parts of BC, but we didn’t see as much rain through the Kamloops area, unfortunately,” he said. “The whole month we haven’t seen a whole lot of precipitation.”

Sekhon says the weekend should be full of sunshine before the pattern breaks down again for the beginning of the work week.

“Over the next few days, what we’ll see is actually a brief ridge of high pressure build in again today and tomorrow. That will bring in some warm temperatures again. We’re looking at highs in the low 30s for Saturday, and even into Sunday as well.”

“Starting even Sunday night, we start to introduce a chance of showers and there could be some risks of thunderstorms as well. The remaining work week also looks to be unsettled with some clouds, sun and some showers here and there, and temperatures cooling off to near-normal, which is about a high of 25.”